Under the shadow of Asian Cup stint, Azkals taking Suzuki Cup seriously

The AFC Asian Cup is the bigger, more prestigious tournament, but that doesn’t mean the Philippines won’t be taking the AFF Suzuki Cup just as seriously.

Azkals manager Dan Palami said the Suzuki Cup carries plenty of significance for the team since it is the tournament that sparked the country’s rise in the sport.

And that’s why the Azkals are pulling out all the stops to ensure that they will be in fine form heading into the biennial tournament, where Thailand is the defending champion.

“For me this is where it all started for the Azkals, that’s why the importance of winning the Suzuki Cup is paramount,” said Palami during the PSA Forum at Tapa King Cubao on Tuesday.

“It’s about time we show ourselves as champions of Southeast Asia. I think it is complementary that a good performance in the Suzuki Cup gives us momentum heading into the Asian Cup.”

Palami is confident that with the entry of a high caliber coach in Swede Sven-Göran Eriksson, a stronger lineup and a better system of play will lead the Azkals to glory.

The Azkals rose to prominence eight years ago when they beat Vietnam, 2-0, in Hanoi and advanced to the semifinals for the first time. That win remains one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The Philippines failed to get past the group stage in 2016 tournament.

Eriksson, who coached England in the 2006 World Cup and has also handled the national teams of Mexico and Ivory Coast, is arriving on Friday as he and Scott Cooper supervise the Azkals’ 10-day preparation for the Suzuki Cup opener against Singapore on Nov. 13 at Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

Aside from the Philippine Football Federation, Palami said the team’s partnership with new marketing arm, M Sports, led by advertising executive Melchor Miras, proved key in Eriksson’s acquisition.

“We needed the courage and the guts to sell the idea to Sven of leaving a legacy in the Philippines and of course, the partnership with M Sports somehow assured me of the proper resources of going after a high caliber coach like Sven,” Palami said.